'96 speedster wont start

[Booost90]

My speedster is having a problem starting. The last time I tried to start the engines, everything turned over fine. Today I hooked the batteries up for a potential buyer coming tomorrow, and they wont ever crank. I took the cover off the electrical box and the 2 places where the positive battery wires go (the 2 sets of posts above the coils) are clicking like crazy...going absolutely nuts when I try press the start buttons...the left button makes the left one go nuts(I assume its a solenoid?), and likewise with the right side. When I jumped the left side 2 posts with a screwdriver, the left engine started to turn over very lightly...but I wasnt getting a good connection with the screwdriver.

This video sounds worse than what it was actually doing, but this is what was going on.

http://s32.photobucket.com/albums/d27/Booost90/?action=view&current=SL381565.flv


*The only difference from the last time it ran from now is that the batteries have been unhooked, then hooked back up....and its 50* cooler outside.

 

[Booost90]

Upon a little research, the noise in the video is coming from these 2 guys: http://www.parkeryamaha.com/seadoopwcsolenoidrelay278001802.aspx

Anyone have any ideas?...I have a week to get it fixed for the new owner:cheers:

*Edit - Another little detail I just remembered. After I fiddled with the batteries a bit, I did get the right side motor to crank a bit (maybe 1-2 seconds) before the solenoid started its clicking again.

 

[seadoosnipe]

Batteries and connections...

It sounds like you have bad batteries, bad grounding wires or even solenoids. I wouldn't think that both starter solenoids could go bad at the same time, so I think you'd be best served to go over the batteries and connections.

When a battery doesn't contain enough cold cranking amps to run the motor, the solenoid will click like crazy, as you describe. You might do a volt check on it and it will say you have 11 or 12 volts but it's the CCA that matters most.

Follow your black ground cable from the battery to the motor. It should connect near or on the starter. Make sure there is no corrosion visible. Grab the wire and tug it from side to side to see if it's loose. The twin motor boats have two positive wires and two solenoids but only one ground wire. For the motor furthest away from the battery, there should be a ground strap between that motor and the other. I know on the 98 Speedster, the battery is on the starboard (right) side. The port motor is grounded across the front at the magneto covers.

For testing purposes, you can take that battery out your using and put your car battery in. Give it a try. You can also take that battery to Advanced Auto parts or Autozone and they'll load test it for free.......:cheers:

 

[Booost90]

Thanks...I'll give this a shot today:cheers:

 

[Booost90]

Well the batteries seem to have been the problem. I hooked a car battery (unhooked from the car so it wouldnt hurt the 2 other batteries) up to the boat batteries via jumper cables, and got the right engine to fire up, the left engine(farthest from the batteries) did not want to crank though..it would crank for 1-2 seconds then sounds the "beep"....everytime I tried to start that engine it did that. I assume thats just the batteries not having enough cranking power? Would charging the batteries do any good?...these things only have about 2 hours of use on them.

Thanks again

 

[robin savell lloyd]

Yes try charging batteries first. :agree:

 

[Booost90]

Indeed...charging the batteries fixed my problem, which was the last thing I thought to try since they were only used for a couple hours..guess the cold got to them! Thanks for the help:cheers:

 

[seadoosnipe]

Hours?

Indeed...charging the batteries fixed my problem, which was the last thing I thought to try since they were only used for a couple hours..guess the cold got to them! Thanks for the help:cheers:

You can't judge a battery by how much use it has. You can buy a brand new battery and not use it, to find it dead a year or two later.

Cold weather will kill a battery pretty quick. You should remove the battery and store inside a garage or other utility building. You should not store one near a hot water heater or other source of ignition.

The reason your other motor was dragging is because of the resistance created with the jumper cables. Had you put that battery in the boat and connected it to your cables, they both may have started. The motor furthest from the battery should be started second when running your boat. This way, this way, the magneto from the running motor will begin it's charge to the battery, providing the other motor with plenty of juice.......:cheers: